The Secret of You and Me - Melissa Lenhardt Page 0,46
all the years away, all I wanted was to be with her. Sit in my hot car for hours staring at her. Talking to her. But, it was impossible.
I glanced out the windshield and saw Tiffany, phone to her ear, watching us. I backed out and pulled around the corner, to an alley behind an abandoned feed store. Nora didn’t ask what I was doing, but I said, “Tiffany,” by way of explanation. She nodded. I put my car in Park, half turned in my seat to face her and waited.
“Not reading your letters was such a shitty, selfish thing to do,” she said.
“We said last night it wouldn’t have mattered.”
“Maybe not in that way. But, our friendship could have survived.”
“No, it couldn’t. I couldn’t have been just your friend, not after that year. And you couldn’t have either. At least I hope seeing me and Charlie and Logan would have...” I rubbed my forehead. “I don’t know.”
“When you asked me if we could be friends the other day, I said yes, but I’m not sure I meant it. Not then. Now, though. I want that more than anything in the world.”
I leaned back against the car door. “Tell me about your life in DC.”
“My life in DC?”
“Yeah. We haven’t talked about our lives at all. You probably think you’ve got mine all figured out, small-town mom and all. But, I have no idea about yours. I can’t fathom living in a city.”
“It’s what you always wanted.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“You like it here?”
“Tell me about your life first.”
Nora shrugged. “I work a lot, but I love my job, so I don’t mind.”
“What do you do?”
“I’m a translator.”
“Emmadean told me you know five languages. Is that true?”
“You don’t remember the armed services test? I scored high on languages.”
“Right. I’d forgotten.” In truth, I hadn’t paid much attention to it. Nora wasn’t going into the military. She was going to be with me. “You can’t work all the time.”
“I spar three times a week at a little boxing gym in my neighborhood. I learned in the military. I take advantage of the Smithsonian museums. There’s a great bookstore in DC I go to at least once a week. At one point or another, I’ve seen just about every politician shill a book at Politics and Prose.”
“Were you telling the truth last night, about your social life? Or trying to hurt me?”
“I don’t have any trouble finding companionship when I want it. But, I’m not out cruising bars every night.”
“Hmm.” The idea she ever had sent a jolt of jealousy straight through my gut. I glanced at the clock and cursed. Brenda would be calling Sheila any minute now to find out if I’d left. “I have to go. I’m late for a meeting. I’ll take you back...”
“You didn’t answer.”
“My life is busy and boring, just like you think.”
“Not about that. Can we be friends even though I probably don’t deserve your forgiveness?”
No, we can’t. I’m still in love with you and being near you knowing we will never have what we once did is killing me. Please leave town and never come back.
I needed to get Nora out of my car before all those thoughts became words.
“Sure.” I held out my hand. “Bygones.”
Nora’s hand was dry and strong, a little bony. But, her touch sent a thrill through my body that I hadn’t felt in years. I stared at our hands, remembering all the times they’d been joined, gripping each other, the panting breaths, the sweat-slicked bodies, the whispers of love. When I lifted my gaze, she was watching me, mouth parted, and I knew she remembered the same things. My body ignited as if a switch had been flipped, in anticipation of what she would say.
I pulled her hand toward me, and she followed. We leaned together and paused, our lips almost touching, as if both considering how stupid this was, knowing what surely lived on the other side, all of the conflict, problems, emotions our lips touching would set in motion. Or in my case, fervently hoping the connection we’d had, the love and desire, was still there. Our eyes met, and I saw Nora’s doubts. I was too close to turn back. I could feel her breath on my cheek, see every goddamn adorable freckle on her face. I gently touched my lips to hers, lingered for a long second, and pulled back. Waiting.